Alastair George MacKenzie was born on 31 October 1915.[2] He was educated at Bedford Modern School and Northampton School.[2]
MacKenzie emigrated to the Malaya in 1938 where he joined the Commercial Union Assurance Company.[8] During World War II he served as a subaltern with the carrier platoon of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment during the final days of the defence of Singapore in February 1942.[3] An account of his experience is held at the Imperial War Museum, 'emphasising the unit's determined resistance to the Japanese almost up to the time of the capitulation'.[3] He was awarded the Military Cross.[6] He continued his involvement with the Singapore Volunteer Corps achieving the rank of Major.[5]
After the War, MacKenzie resumed his work in South East Asia with the Commercial Union Assurance Company.[9] He was elected Chairman of the Motor Insurance Association of Malayan and Borneo, a position he held between 1955 and 1956.[9] He was later head of the Commercial Union Assurance Company in South East Asia.[10]
Outside of insurance, MacKenzie was President of Singapore Rugby Union (1956–58), President of Malayan Rugby Union (1960–61) and a Council Member of the British Association of Singapore (1957–66).[1][2][3][4][5] He was Chairman of Tanglin School (1958–61) and Chairman of Raeburn Park School (1959–67).[5]
MacKenzie was made CBE in 1967 for services to insurance.[7]